Lost Love?
by juls898
Summary: A fic where something comes between the brothers... death. Now the remaining brother must find a way to deal with it, or succumb to darkness


Disclaimer- Do you really think I own the Hardy Boy? (Well just in case you didn't know, I don't)

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"Joe!" He screamed, "Don't kill him! Please, I'll do anything…"

His voice choked off into a shuddering breath as he gasped again, desperately trying to catch his breath to scream once more. Smoke filled the warehouse, clogging the air as flames licked at the doorway, dancing mockingly as Frank stared agonized, at the men who were dragging his beloved brother away from his protection, his love, and toward certain death.

He cried out desperately, one last time, a strangled cry, so wretched and without hope, that he barely recognized that this was him, Franklin Asim Hardy, "NO! Take me instead! Anything but that, anything!" His voice broke and slumped down defeated, feeling his handcuffs dig into his raw, torn wrists, as he hung inches from the ground, dangling like a piece of meat.

He brought up his head weakly, staring dismally through the thick layer of smoke, at Joseph Oron Hardy. He was shocked, hearing a sharp intake of breath from his on chest, as he watched through the murky haze of smoke, the men lugging Joe toward him, instead of the flames.

But it was the look on Joe's tired, beaten face that had stunned Frank. Instead of the glowing smiling, showing optimism even in the most trying times, he saw a mask, something that should never have existed on Joe's angelic face.

A face, that Frank realized while the two men plodded over with Joe slung between them, that must have existed on his face just a couple moments ago as he had watched Joe being dragged off to his death. A look of desperation and terror, burned through the crystal blue eyes, boring straight through to Frank's soul. The message couldn't be clearer to Frank.

To the men who gripped Joe as they struggled to drag him along the concrete floor, it was most likely a plea, which said, "Help me!" And with all of Frank's being, his soul, his heart, his very existence, he wished that that is what Joe meant. That he wanted to be saved. That Joe wanted to live. Because then, Frank would have done what he did best. To protect and guard Joe, even at the cost of his life.

But instead, Joe was asking Frank something almost impossible. Maybe even more impossible than slamming a revolving door. Joe was asking for him to give up almost his entire reason for living. Joe. He had been Frank's entire life, at least before Callie came and opened up a new part of Frank's heart and claimed it for her own.

The men and Joe were now just yards away now. He felt Joe's eyes pierce through his heart, that begging tearstained face burned into his memory. For Joe, Frank would do this. He knew death was inevitable for one of them that night. Their legendary luck had finally run out, leaving them defenseless against the bad guys. This time, one of them wasn't going to go home.

He nodded slowly, telling his brother that he understood. Stifling back a sob, he chocked out, "Go, go kill him. I don't want to die. Don't kill me." It broke his heart to beg like this. To go against every instinct, every thought that traveled through him. But he had done it for Joe.

And as the two crooks gave Frank a disgusted look, revolted by the path he had chosen, dragged Joe back toward the roaring flames where Joe's life would end. Tears now flowed unrestrained down Frank's cheeks as he barely kept in the howling sobs that threatened to engulf him. But as he glanced up one last time to watch the retreating backs of the murderers, he heaved a sob, because on his little brothers face, he saw the peaceful laughing smile that belonged there, apparently even in the certainty of his own death.

Joe saw Frank's pained face and mouthed, "I love you, bro."

Frank nodded, and whispered so quietly that too this day he still isn't sure if it came out quite like this, "I love you more Joe."

And then, Frank Hardy basked in the last agonized screams of Joe Hardy burning to death, punishing himself for failing his purpose of life.

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I really have no idea where I'm going with this, so reviews and ideas would be great! If you come up with parts of a storyline I think I could write in, I'll most likely do it. Hope you like it! ~Tifal


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